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In the New Testament there are three different bonds that can exceedingly benefit or drastically deteriorate a church. They are the bonds of peace, of perfectness and of iniquity.

The bond of peace – Eph 4:1-3 – this is the result of the unity of the Spirit. You have to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit by lowliness, meekness, longsuffering, and forbearing one another. When you do these four things, the church stays together in peace. We are not to be united in sin [1 Cor 5:1-7], but rather with others different than ourselves.

The bond of perfectness – Col 3:12-14 – this is the result of charity [1 Cor 13:1-8]. You keep this through bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, three of the things associated with the bond of peace and forgiveness. When you do these things, the church stays together in perfectness. See also Eph 4:13.

The bond of iniquity – Acts 8:9-24 – this is divisive [Simon had neither part nor lot in the matter, verse 21]. Simon had been “somebody” before Philip came along and he eyed the miracles and signs which he did. Then when Simon saw the true power of the Holy Ghost and the apostles he was willing to pay to get what they had. He was in the gall of bitterness [because he was no longer considered the “great power of God,” verse 10]. And he was in the bond of iniquity. He wanted to be a big shot to get a following. See Acts 20:28-30; 3 Jn 9-10.

Conclusion: bonds of iniquity result in a church torn apart by a big shot, bonds of peace result in a church united by the Spirit of God and bonds of perfectness result in a church that is just like Christ.